The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-12-09
Obituary.

The brief item in THE ZINES OF a
recent date, OF the deeth Of Deacon
Erastus Barnes in Chicago, Nov. az,
and his burial here on the a4ih, has
led me to think, that something more
than this brief notice, was due TO the
memory Of one of the best neil il
was ever my fortune TO know. Mr.
Barnes was born in Cooperstown, N.
Y, April IS, 1900, and consequently,
at the time Of his death had passed
his S7th birthday. o. his youth and
early manhood l know but little. My
acquaintance with him began forty
six years ago in this city. For sever
al years he worked at his trade in
Owosso, earning barely enough to
support his family respectfully and
build an unpretentious home. Sew
eral years before any railroad came
ITO US, he bought for a trihing sum, a
parcel of ground, some ten or twelve
acres, where what is now known as
West Owosso stands. For many
years the deacon, when business was
slack, would clear off patch Of the
out lot, cut some hay for his COW,
plant few potatoes for the family.
Bye and bye the Detroit & Milwaukee
railroad came, and his land was worth
something. Then came the Jackson,
Lansing & Saginaw railroad The
out lot was plated, West Owosso
sprang up. and Mr.. Barnes was rich
almost before he knew it. II this
were all there is to tell of this man.
it would not be worth the telling
1t was Mr.. Barnes as a Christian,
as witness for the truth and power
of the religion Of Christ, that the
striking developments Of life devot
ed to the service of God was manifest
In his Christian experience, his lite
was one long evidence of the won
derful results of unquestionable faith.
So long and intimate had been his
communipgs with his Maxer, that he
spoke as one having authority. And
sc it came to pass, that his labors for
the good of others was blessed, in a
measure that was wonderful and
beautiful to behold. Mr.. Barnes was
a very quiet, unpretentious man, with
scarcely enough of self assertion to
make his way in lite. Aud yet l am
certain that in defense of his faith he
would have gone joyfully to the stake
For several years he was colporter
spending most of his time in the then
wilderness region OF northern Mich
igan. 1t was his habit to go on foot
because, as he believed, he could
visit more families in a given time,
than if he were encountered with a
horse. Indeed, if he heard of fam
lily back of the swamp, on an unin
habited side Of the river, or anywhere
else, where no one would be likely to
find them, there he would 60, no
matter at what expense Of personal
convenience or comfort, and with
kind words OF Christian counsel,
brief prayer, Bible, religious book
or some tracts, point them, as he so
well knew how, to better lite. And
thus, through the greater portion of a
life protracted far beyond the ordinary
limits was this good man ever search
ing for new methods of doing good
The words, "Jesus lover OF my soul,
let me TO thy bosom fly" often came
to his mind, and were repeated when
all other memories had faded away
with passing years.
Thus in the plentitude OF years, and
with soul spo'less and pure, Deacon
Barnes has passed to his rest-the
type of man much too rarely met
with in these days of doubt and cav
illing. p.